Making a splash

Studies have shown that smoothing pets reduces stress, I think that watching ducks has the same effect, it is such a relaxing and comical pastime.

 

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) – female
1/800, f/5.6, ISO 1250

 

In the image above the ripples surrounding the teal give an idea of the frenzied preening that she was so focused on while the flurry of her feathers give an idea of how tiny she actually is. Chestnut Teals weigh approximately 650g. They are dabbling ducks that feed on insects, seeds and some vegetation, often flipping upside down to feed underwater.

 

 

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) – female
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 1600

 

Her bathing regime was vigorous to say the least! I hoped to capture the action so doubled the shutter speed to 1/1600th of a second, even so there is some wing blur that shows the frenzied activity. Female Chestnut Teal are often confused with Grey Teal. The Grey Teal, male and female, look like a female chestnut apart from being slightly lighter with a tell-tale white chin and throat.

 

Chestnut Teal (Anas castanea) – male and female
1/1250, f/5.6, ISO 1250

 

The male Chestnut Teal is a striking-looking duck with his rich chestnut colouring and glossy green head. Both the male and female have bright red eyes. They mate for life and stay together all year, not just during the breeding season.

I was lucky to have lunch today with two of my favourite people, both are passionate about ducks and about ending the Victorian duck shooting season. Together we are working on an exciting project, I plan to share more in the coming weeks.

Happy birding

Kim

 

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